BANKING ANALYTICS

Ranking of the Azerbaijani banking sector (ranking includes the information component of the banking sector, the main events of the world economy, the analytical review of the main indices of the banks which are being ranked)

Azeri oil market: results of week

From 21 to 25 November URAL(EX-NOVO) average price, sold by Azerbaijan in Novorossiysk port, was $49.24 per barrel or dropped $0.74 barrel, or 1.01%, as compared to the last week (14-18 Nov).

URAL(EX-NOVO) maximal price comprised $49.93 on 23 November, or $0.24 barrels down as compared to last week (15 November), minimal one - $48.40 on 21 November, or $0.91 down as compared to last week (18 November).

Brent average price (DTD) was $53.51 per barrel (rose $3.82 per barrel), or 1.07% down as compared to last week. Brent maximal price comprised $54.04 on 22 November, or $0.24 per barrel down as compared to last week. Minimal price of Brent was $53.07 on 21 November, or $0.47 per barrel as compared to last week (18 November).

URAL (EX-NOVO) was cheaper than Brent by $4.27 per barrel last week, or $0.85 per barrel more than the average figure of last week.

The density of URAL is 32 degrees by API, the sulphur content вЂ" 1.3%.

The density of DTD oil is 38.3 degrees by API, the sulphur content вЂ" 0.36%.

Alst week the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) announced a tender on sale of 170,000 tons of Urals oil from the Novorossiysk port.

The oil will be shipped by two tankers per 85,000 tons on 24-25 and 30-31 December. One of the lots is profitable, other - regular. The incomes from sale of the profitable lot will be transferred to the State Oil Fund.

In 2004 the SOCAR sold 2559,100 tons of oil from Novorossiyk, which is 77,100 tons more than 2003. Oil pumping tariffs via the Baku-Novorossiysk pipeline is $15.67 per ton.